Arnaud Caissie
Background Arnaud Caissie was born on his family’s homestead on the Progost V colony on April 22nd, 2346. His father, Mathieu Caissie, was an administrator in the local government. He was originally from Canada. His mother, Lillian Godfrey, ran the small farm on the homestead and wrote fiction in her free time. She was originally from England. He has an older brother, Bertram Caissie, and a younger sister, Louise, who was born four years later. From the beginning, he was exposed to art and writing. However, these activities interested him very little as a child (although they did eventually become part of his life). He spent much of his time exploring the mountains and forests surrounding his homestead. Eventually, his younger sister began to join him on these expeditions, and they developed a close bond. The two share the same passion for nature and the will to explore. He was also mentored by a nearby homesteader and family friend, a Vulcan named Somok. Somok, a former Starfleet officer, taught Caissie several Vulcan martial arts, and he became a relatively accomplished close quarters fighter. Caissie was a poor student in school until his later years. Eventually, he began to put considerable effort in once he decided to join Starfleet, but he was unsuccessful in his first attempt at the Starfleet Academy entrance exam at the age of 16. He continued to study and attempted the exam again at 17, but was once again unsuccessful. He was very discouraged by this and considered enrolling in Starfleet as an enlisted crewmember, or staying on the colony to serve in the local government. He decided to try the exam one last time at 18 and was successful. Caissie struggled at Starfleet Academy and had poor grades in most classes. He struggled to understand theories that he didn’t see in practice. He was awarded no special opportunities and graduated in 2368 as a run of the mill officer. However, he did become very immersed in Starfleet tradition and developed a deep respect for it. His first posting was to the Excelsior Class starship USS Resolute as a junior Tactical Officer. On board the Resolute he still struggled to adjust starship lifestyle. He was used to the freedom offered by the great wilderness of his home. He received poor reports during his first two years as an ensign, but in his third, he made a considerable effort to improve his performance. His superiors recognized the effort but believed that he would be better utilized in a ground-based position. He was then promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and posted to the colony of Hovim III as a Liason Officer in 2371. He spent one year on the Hovim III colony, assisting the local government. During this time a disease broke out on the colony, which came to be known as the Hovim Contagion. As part of the local government, Caissie helped to contain and respond to the epidemic, which lasted for two months. While he managed to avoid contracting the disease several co-workers and friends were afflicted. While serving at the colony he had time to reflect upon his career and his future, and he decided that he wanted to try for starship service again. In 2372 the increasing threat of the Dominion and the breakdown of Klingon-Federation relations gave Caissie another chance at starship service due to personnel shortages. He was posted once again to the USS Resolute, this time as a Security Officer. The Resolute was involved in several engagements of the Federation-Klingon War and continued to fight after the start of the Dominion War. During this time Caissie gained considerable combat experience and proved to be a very reliable officer. In early 2374, the Resolute was involved in an intense skirmish with a small squadron of Jem'hadar ships, where 38 members of the crew were killed, including the ship's Chief of Security. Caissie was then made acting Chief of Security. Shortly after this skirmish, the USS Resolute was assigned to the 5th Fleet. In mid-2374 it participated in Operation Return. Not long after Operation Return, the Resolute was on a routine patrol when it picked up a distress signal from the Gamma Arakis II Colony. The Resolute arrived to find a small fleet of Dominion ships waiting for them. The Resolute was badly outgunned and after several minutes of fighting was on the verge of destruction. With the captain dead, the First Officer, Commander Hammond, ordered the crew to abandon ship. Hammond, Caissie, and the conn officer remained on the bridge to cover the escape pods until a blast killed the conn officer and badly injured Hammond. Caissie then carried Hammond to one of the last remaining escape pods and escaped to the planet below. While on the planet Caissie and Hammond organized a guerilla unit of the surviving crew and some colonist volunteers against the occupying Jem’hadar. They held out until a Federation relief force repelled the Dominion from the system a month and a half later. By then, only 97 crewmembers remained. During this time Caissie and Hammond developed a close friendship. For their actions in the Gamma Arakis system, Hammond, Caissie, and several other members of the Resolute crew were awarded the Starfleet Award of Valor. After a month of shore leave, Caissie was promoted to Lieutenant and posted as the Chief of Security to the newly commissioned Saber Class starship, the USS Ibex. Caissie continued to fight in the Dominion War aboard the USS Ibex until its conclusion. He was wounded in early 2375 and spent several weeks recovering. Following the end of the war, he continued to serve on the USS Ibex until his CO recommended him for the posting on the USS Monarch. Personality and Hobbies Caissie is a rather relaxed officer compared to some. He tries his best to stay cheerful in even the grimmest of circumstances. He has a very strong will and will not easily crumble to pressure or fear. He is an adventurer at heart. He tries to make friends wherever possible and tries not to carry his work with him everywhere. Nonetheless, he has proven to be a reliable officer and a good tactician. He also tries to be on as many away missions as possible, as he dislikes being couped up in a starship for too long. However, he is not without flaws. He is very stubborn and often butted heads with his superiors early in his career. He is also easily distracted by other pursuits. In his free time, he enjoys drinking scotch and brandy which he brings aboard whenever he visits Earth. He often invites fellow officers to his quarters to chat and drink after shifts. He enjoys learning about history and going on hikes in the holodeck. He maintains a deep respect for tradition and takes any chance to wear his dress uniform. He also continues to practice Vulcan martial arts, and writes frequent letters to his friends and family, especially Louise.